The Importance of Ritual in Board Retreats

This afternoon, my husband and I executed our wills. Since I had made my intentions clear in discussions in advance of today's meeting, and my husband (a law professor) and our attorney prepared the documents carefully, I glanced at my will and asked where to sign. The both looked at each other and then at me, and said simultaneously, "But there is a signing ritual." They then explained to me that the law requires a specific ritual to ensure that people regard and recognize the importance of the decisions they are making.

I walked home thinking about the ways in which I use the same concept of ritual in conducting nonprofit board retreats.